Freedom

I've been having troubles in writing a post on free jazz - though it's laughably absurd that I feel a restriction of freedom in posting about freedom. But I don't know how to approach giving a piece of free jazz to someone else to listen to – its just such an acquired taste that I fear only the most resolute admirer will understand its characteristics. I do not feign saying that all free jazz is good music, nor may I even write some of it off as music. It deserves another kind of function, one perhaps better understood by the musicians themselves than the listeners. And it is this absurdity of reversals in roles which make free jazz what it is to me. These musicians are not saying, “I'm making something for the enjoyment of all, I'm giving my time and effort for an altruistic musical approach.” No, no it's something much more sinister, much more, dare I say selfish. Yes, yes of course its absolute selfishness to play what they do, but frankly that's the only way for them to attain musical freedom. Free jazz bands are not bands, they are groups of individual spirits who possess an unrelinquishing urge to attain absolute freedom of musical expression. One may ask, couldn't a free jazz artist achieve this goal alone easier than as a group? My answer is an overwhelming no.

Imagine that you are a prominent theorist (of whatever field you wish) trapped on a deserted island, but throwing aside your sorrow of desertion, you decide to continue your search for understanding. So you go about theorizing, experimenting and so forth. To an outside observer you are confined to the information at hand to you on the island and in you brain. You are restricted by the fact that there isn't another person with whom you may converse to broaden your understanding. Of course if you are remarkably intelligent you can still figure a lot out, but eventually your cloistering will impede progress.

Now try to understand my usage of this analogy in the realm of music. The free jazz artist, aware of his human limitations, then surrounds himself with other like minded fellows to augment their attempt at freedom. This is the key element which led me to understand and appreciate free jazz. You have to look for the intricacies in melody or rhythm between the members. When one member finds a remarkable melodic line, the others realize this, and because of their skill they are able to grasp hold of it and use it within their own attempt at freedom. And so this exchanging of ideas gives the artists a freer perspective, a freedom beyond what they could attain whilst solo.

Unfortunately there are lulls in their creativity which pale in comparison. So while the highs are remarkable, I can't say the lows are worth anything.

In light of this I now present Sleep Talking. It starts out so hauntingly with a quote from Igor Stravinsky's Rite of Spring (I think). They set up a stable enough foundation upon which the rest may follow. It doesn't get to the spasmodic type of free jazz until a couple of minutes in, but when it does, if you scoff in revulsion, I do not blame you. It has taken me many months to appreciate free jazz. Hopefully you see enough beauty in the introduction that you can find beauty throughout.

I suppose that I'll include another song as well to show the intense difference in styles between each artist. For Albert Ayler, his expression of mood lies primarily in timbre, so pay attention not just to the notes, but how the sounds are delivered.

Sleep Talking, Ornette Coleman, Sound Grammar


Spirits, Albert Ayler Trio, Spiritual Unity